In it for this. I still love this movie (haven't watched it in ten years or more) but I am ready to have those rose colored glasses snatched off my face.
If I recall, Ginny took the muscle relaxants because she had debilitating cramps which I think brings up the motif of menstrual pain awareness that is in many of John Hughes films. I can only hope Ginny became a researching gynecologist studying endometriosis and PCOS.
I have never seen this movie in my forty-two years on this earth, and I never want to see it other than through the Lindy West Anger Translator.
Yes to Fellowship!! And if you need some future considerations for the Butt News hopper, may I suggest Tank Girl (my problematic-yet-underrated fave), Contact (which I imprinted on like a baby bird/baby nerd, and which stands up... mostly ok? but there's definitely enough grist for the Butt News mill, I think), Contagion (is it too soon for Butt News to take on pandemic-movie discourse??), and Charlie's Angels (2000 version, and I swoon to imagine the scorn with which Butt News could recap this, though boy oh boy did I desperately wish I could be any one of those ladies at the time).
I was in middle/high school during the John Hughes heyday. These movies are trash but I didn’t realize it then. It irritates me to no end the way some people still fetishize them and this is the takedown this movie deserves. Thank you thank you thank you.
Anytime! Not too long ago I sat in a really beautiful sculpture garden with a friend and we talked and talked about how much we love you and how much you make us laugh.
Upon reflection, I am realizing that there’s a big difference between movies that are so bad they’re perfect and movies that are so bad they are terrible. Teen Witch is absolutely perfect, it’s true.
Omg, I just saw Zelda Rubenstein in "Meet John Doe" with Gary Cooper from 1941. It's only one scene but I'm 100% sure it was her as a child. She's unmistakable.
Butt News makes me laugh-cry, almost without exception. So thank you! Also, my parents were very strict and religious and as a child anything from pop culture was pretty much forbidden to me (with the exception of PBS, insofar as that counts as pop culture). I never watched things like 16 Candles and Pretty In Pink while growing up and reading this hilarious takedown is literally the first time that it has dawned on me that maybe MY PARENTS ACTUALLY HAD A POINT AND THIS STUFF WAS TRASH! I may have spent much of my childhood and early adolescence (until I was old enough to sneak-watch illicit movies and t.v. shows) in an awkward hell in which I missed most of my peers' cultural references, but I was also spared a hearty dose of rape culture in the process so I guess mob repressed upbringing had its upsides.
This is a brutal (but fair) review. So many horrible things that I didn't even remember! Aaaaargh, John Hughes really sold us some bullshit, huh?
I'd love to see you do FOTR. Also, if you're up for more JH, I would love to see your take on Pretty in Pink, a movie in which (I believe) every single male character is terrible!
Thank-you for writing this so I never have to revisit this film. I don't recall liking it when I was a young teen, and it sounds horrific in hindsight. So much of the 80s teen culture is horrific in hindsight though so I guess I'm not surprised.
Please do Ferris Bueller! What an ASSHOLE! (I adored him as a kid.)
In it for this. I still love this movie (haven't watched it in ten years or more) but I am ready to have those rose colored glasses snatched off my face.
The entitlement that comes off Ferris is so thick you it could clog a storm drain.
If I recall, Ginny took the muscle relaxants because she had debilitating cramps which I think brings up the motif of menstrual pain awareness that is in many of John Hughes films. I can only hope Ginny became a researching gynecologist studying endometriosis and PCOS.
Thank you! I was absolutely not paying attention by this point. Rooting for Ginny!
I have never seen this movie in my forty-two years on this earth, and I never want to see it other than through the Lindy West Anger Translator.
Yes to Fellowship!! And if you need some future considerations for the Butt News hopper, may I suggest Tank Girl (my problematic-yet-underrated fave), Contact (which I imprinted on like a baby bird/baby nerd, and which stands up... mostly ok? but there's definitely enough grist for the Butt News mill, I think), Contagion (is it too soon for Butt News to take on pandemic-movie discourse??), and Charlie's Angels (2000 version, and I swoon to imagine the scorn with which Butt News could recap this, though boy oh boy did I desperately wish I could be any one of those ladies at the time).
I LOVVVVE CONTACT!!!
I was in middle/high school during the John Hughes heyday. These movies are trash but I didn’t realize it then. It irritates me to no end the way some people still fetishize them and this is the takedown this movie deserves. Thank you thank you thank you.
K Lindy, listen here: you are a genius. This is the best entertainment on any kind of screen.
Seconds before I saw this comment I was reading a horrific Reddit thread about myself and you saved me! Thank you!
Anytime! Not too long ago I sat in a really beautiful sculpture garden with a friend and we talked and talked about how much we love you and how much you make us laugh.
This is the dream!!!!
Thank you for this gold! Speaking of Zelda Rubenstein...how about Teen Witch??
I am very much a Teen Witch devotee! We'll see! It might be too perfect, though--I don't know what I could possibly add. <3
I came here to also bring up Teen Witch and am very glad it's already been mentioned. :) TOP THAT!
Upon reflection, I am realizing that there’s a big difference between movies that are so bad they’re perfect and movies that are so bad they are terrible. Teen Witch is absolutely perfect, it’s true.
Omg, I just saw Zelda Rubenstein in "Meet John Doe" with Gary Cooper from 1941. It's only one scene but I'm 100% sure it was her as a child. She's unmistakable.
"If you can have a group of friends over and watch this Sixteen Candles and it’s cool and no one’s feelings get hurt, you are a Nazi!"
This line is the equivalent of the laugh/cry emoji.
And also, yeah, TRUTH. This movie is so bad on every level.
I have been waiting for this evisceration since 1984. It was disgusting and rude and racist and scary and EVERYONE LOVED IT. Thank you, Lindy!
I’ve never seen this movie, and now never will. Couldn’t keep Kavanaugh out of my head as I read. Yuck, the movie. Exquisite, the review.
Butt News makes me laugh-cry, almost without exception. So thank you! Also, my parents were very strict and religious and as a child anything from pop culture was pretty much forbidden to me (with the exception of PBS, insofar as that counts as pop culture). I never watched things like 16 Candles and Pretty In Pink while growing up and reading this hilarious takedown is literally the first time that it has dawned on me that maybe MY PARENTS ACTUALLY HAD A POINT AND THIS STUFF WAS TRASH! I may have spent much of my childhood and early adolescence (until I was old enough to sneak-watch illicit movies and t.v. shows) in an awkward hell in which I missed most of my peers' cultural references, but I was also spared a hearty dose of rape culture in the process so I guess mob repressed upbringing had its upsides.
I have only read a few paragraphs, but hopping down here to say that Miss Cleo jokes will always hit.
This is a brutal (but fair) review. So many horrible things that I didn't even remember! Aaaaargh, John Hughes really sold us some bullshit, huh?
I'd love to see you do FOTR. Also, if you're up for more JH, I would love to see your take on Pretty in Pink, a movie in which (I believe) every single male character is terrible!
Do I want to read a Butt News about LOTR?
DOES A HOBBIT SHIT IN THE WOODS?!!? (Wait....do they..?)
Also, very very majorly excited to learn you are working on another book!
I love you Lindyyyyy!
This might be my favourite so far. I was cackling constantly reading this on my morning commute. Brilliant 💖
Thank-you for writing this so I never have to revisit this film. I don't recall liking it when I was a young teen, and it sounds horrific in hindsight. So much of the 80s teen culture is horrific in hindsight though so I guess I'm not surprised.
As usual, Butt News has made my day.
Hoo boy do I ever want a Butt News for FOTR. What a dream.